Lesson 2/45 min
Vidyasagar, Young Bengal and Tattwabodhini
The Hindu Widow Remarriage Act was passed on 26 July 1856. In December that year the first marriage under it took place; the groom was Professor Srishchandra Vidyaratna.
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
- Born 26 September 1820 at Birsingha village in Medinipur
- Earned the title ‘Vidyasagar’ from the Sanskrit College after 12 years of study (1839)
- A guide who showed the way in Bengali prose writing
- Principal of the Sanskrit College, 1851
- The law legalising widow remarriage, 26 July 1856, came through his efforts; he also worked against child marriage and polygamy
Watch out: The appointment as head pandit of Fort William College is 1841 in Khandokar and 1849 in Zubair, and his age at the title is 19 versus 20. Sources do not agree either, so there is no quiz on these numbers.
The Young Bengal movement and Derozio
- It grew around the Hindu College; its pioneer was Henry Louis Vivian Derozio
- Derozio became a teacher at the Hindu College in May 1826
- He was a Eurasian of Portuguese descent and studied at Drummond's school in Dharmatala
- Its biggest weakness was blind loyalty to the West; it did not look kindly on orthodox Hindus
The Tattwabodhini Sabha and other bodies
- The ‘Tattwabodhini Sabha’ — founded by Debendranath Tagore (1839)
- Its journal was the ‘Tattwabodhini Patrika’ (1843; edited by Akshay Kumar Datta)
- The editor of the journal ‘Vividhartha Sangraha’ was Raja Rajendralal Mitra
- Bangabhasanubad Samaj, 1850 (Khandokar)
Check yourself
Who was the leading figure of the Young Bengal movement?
At a glance
- 1
Vidyasagar was born on 26 September 1820 at Birsingha (Medinipur); the widow remarriage law was 26 July 1856.
- 2
He became principal of the Sanskrit College in 1851; he got the title ‘Vidyasagar’ from that college.
- 3
Young Bengal: centred on the Hindu College; its pioneer was Derozio (teacher from 1826).
- 4
The Tattwabodhini Sabha was founded by Debendranath Tagore; its journal was the Tattwabodhini Patrika.
- 5
The editor of Vividhartha Sangraha was Rajendralal Mitra; Bangabhasanubad Samaj 1850.